Another First

Thanks to Anne Marie, who has gotten very good at finding local events, 6 english speakers went to a Paul Simon concert last night. What impressed me most during the 2 1/2 hour show was the enthusiasm for the music and knowledge of the artist displayed by the Milanese. There were only a few S & G era offerings, but of those the crowd knew every word, and showed there love for the poet and story teller. The love of music and appreciation of varied styles was also evident. There were 2 encore's and this at a concert in the park that started at 9PM on a Monday. He saved 'Me and Julio down by the school yard' and 'you can call me Al' for these encores as well as 'The Boxer'. What a concert. What a night. And at 60? what a performer. He just kept on giving!!

Zermatt

Wow, what a weekend. The trip was 4 hours by train each way, so no mountain roads for Jeff to drive. In fact no cars are allowed in the town. Taxi, bus and delivery are by electric vehicle. This makes for an unusual quiet, and the ability to construct buildings very close together. Zermatt is a bustling town filled with outdoor enthusiasts, tour groups, extreme sports nuts, and folks like us. Many a person was strolling down the street with a sturdy pack on their back with poles or picks or spike shoes, to aid in the hiking or climbing. We took 2 separate journeys into the mountains. The first was on a cog wheel train up to Gornergrat, at 3089 meters. At the top there is a hotel, restaurant, and a nice shops area, which was a good thing having forgotten to pack Jeff a hat. We hung out here over strudel and enjoyed the amazing view, not to mention the cooperative weather. The rest of the day we explored the town and the very interesting cemeteries. Day 2 we decided to do it! It being the 3 section ascent to Glacier Paradise. The first segment was in a small 6 person 'bubble'. The next 2 segments were on large gondolas, not the kind in Venice, but the kind from James Bond movies. Having ridden chair lifts to go up a mountain, and not being really thrilled about them, this is a much preferable mode of transportation. I had packed for the freezing temperatures on the top, so we were comfortable scampering around the observation area, and the Glacier Palace. The last of the pictures, where we did get cold, was the path that skiers and boarders take to reach the slopes. It is also the start for some very ambitious walker/climbers, who connected by rope in groups, headed for a peak in the very thin air. We were at 3883 m. at this point. Wow! It takes my breath away just writing about it.
I picked up a new term on this trip, the four thousanders, in reference to the height of 38 peaks in the area! Good thing there was a lift, because that's the only way you'd get Jeff and I up there.

This past week I: planned this weekends trip to Zermatt, Switzerland, purchased plane tickets for my travels to and from the US this fall, researched places to spend Christmas with my family, and this morning my brain couldn't let go of swimming pools. Yes, that's totally unrelated to the other items, but as we go forward with building our new home it's something I need to look into. Jeff and I are undecided on it's necessity, so I'm soliciting your opinion. We'll be gone until Monday, and when I get back I hope to read the "pros and cons of swimming pools" in my comments!

Baseball

I have a new favorite station in Italy. NASN is a sports channel that carries day games live! Right now the Twins and the Tigers are getting ready to face off.Oh, and for those who know me well I had cereal with banana on it yesterday. If you don't know don't ask.

My month in the states

Start at the endStop 3, or something like that, found me taking a 4 day layover on my return ticket to Milan in New York City. I met up with my sister Barbara who lives in Utica NY for a busy 4th of July weekend in the city. We walked, we rode the Gray line tour, we walked more, we checked out Time Square Church, we took the night time Gray line tour which went over the East River to Brooklyn, and let me tell you we felt a little weird on an open top deck of this bus going that high over the river, we ate breakfast from the Whole Foods market across the street, we strolled street fairs, we..... Boy there's alot to do, and in 4 days we accomplished some. We had a great time. And now I'm home, in Milan, and glad to be with my husband.

I left Minnesota for Houston for a less then 24 hr. turn around. Mom and Dad Norris, Theo the dog and I rented an Impala packed up and headed out on Tuesday morning for Pennsylvania. I love road trips, and I love driving, and this trip promised me both. We drove 505 miles day 1, about the same day 2. I'd booked rooms in advance that allowed pets so we knew where we were stopping. We all traveled well and saw beautiful countryside through middle Tennessee and Kentucky. Our time in Delmont/Pittsburgh was very full. I got to spent time with my daughters, and we all got to see and meet so many people, alot of them relatives we had never met! Wendy and Dave had a very successful party that closed with a bang, as in thunderstorm rolled in. It was good timing, as everyone was starting to drag. T, E and I did a little site seeing in downtown Pittsburgh on our way to the airport Sunday. Monday morning it was back on the road for the road crew. On leaving, we seemed to wander a bit, the map and Tom Tom not agreeing on a route for southern Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia, but once we got rolling we made it to Sweetwater, Tennessee in the foot hills of the Smokies. Now this day was a scenic drive, and though a bit long, enjoyed by all. Day 2 took us to the Louisiana state line, where the lack of hotel rooms is still a reflection of Katrina's wrath. The in-laws were seeing a part of the country that was new to them, and my old stomping ground. We all returned home having had an enjoyable trip, which is saying something!

Downtown Pittsburgh
The Norris Family

Start here

It's been such a busy month I'm not quite sure where to start... so I'll start at the beginning ( a very nice place to start). Flew into Houston June 4. I confirmed that the in-laws were ready and willing to undertake our sojourn to Pittsburgh. I gave the daughters a kiss and hug, pulled a few weeds and headed off to Minnesota. I had a quiet week of visiting with Dad and Marlys and hanging with the Piephos in preparing for Travis' high school graduation party. On Friday I took Nate and Luke for a train ride from the Mall to the Nicolette Mall in downtown Minneapolis. My sister Cathy joined us for the ride. I topped off the day with a visit to the Undersea world at the Mall of America. Yes, I was into 'spoil the boys a bit' mode. Saturday was Shelby's recital, which I enjoyed, and reminded me of all of Liz's recitals as a girl. Sunday was church and Travis' party, were the weather cooperated fully. Jeff and I will be returning to Minnesota in August when we're state side, and hope the weather is as cooperative.

Nate and Luke at the Mall of America

Hello from NYC

I bought a cute little PC that is light and small, 5x7. It has been great for getting on the internet and e-mail. It's darn hard to type on! Therefore, I haven't been typing!
I'm in New York with my sister Barb. We walked south of 25th st, where our hotel is, to the Brooklyn Bridge, to Ground Zero, up for a while and back towards the East river for the 4th of July fireworks. We didn't have enough umph in us to walk all the way back, so we got the subway and got off 2 blocks from our hotel! We got lucky pooping out at the right station!